Tablet and capsule dispenser



1967 c. H. CARDEN TABLET AND CAPSULE DISPENSER Filed March 24 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 3 0 56 2 2 A m 7 w w K w v o A k w 4 N f f v Fig. 4

Jan. 24, 1967 c. H. CARDEN 3,300,090

TABLET AND CAPSULE DISPENSER Filed March 24, 1965 ZSheetS-Shtiet 2 Fig. 6 g4 Columbus Heard Garden INVIJNTOR.

BY 2mm United States Patent Ofiice 3,300,090 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,300,090 TABLET AND CAPSULE DISPENSER Columbus Heard Carden, P.0. Box 1481, Harlingen, Tex. 78550 Filed Mar. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 442,354 8 Claims. (Cl. 221-281) This invention relates generally to containers and more particularly to containers for articles wherein the container is provided with means for dispensing articles stored within the container. Specifically, the invention provides a combined article container and dispenser which is suitable for storage and dispensing of articles such as tablets, capsules and the like.

In keeping with advances in the medical and pharmacol-ogical sciences in recent years, the average person who is under a physicians care may be required to take oral dosage of one or more medicaments in tablet or capsule form during the course of a normal day. Accordingly, it is generally necessary for such a person to keep a moderate supply of the medication on his person. A problem therefore sometimes arises in keeping the necessary tablets or capsules and the like in a readily accessible and sanitary condition.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an article container and dispenser which is suitable for storing and dispensing medicinal tablets or capsules and the like.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combination article container and dispenser which will function to store and dispense a predetermined number of tablets or capsules.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination article container and dispenser which may be readily constructed of varying cross-sectional configurations thereby making it possible to maintain the tablets or capsules of various shapes and sizes in a manner which substantially precludes any breakage of the tablets or capsules.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combination article container and dispenser which may be readily filled with tablets or capsules and the like and from which such articles may be readily dispensed by utilizing only one hand.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the article container and dispenser embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the article container and dispenser of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a slightly enlarged vertical sectional view of the article container and dispenser of FIGURE 1 taken substantially along the plane of the line 3--3 'of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view in the lower portion of the device of FIGURE 3, further showing the selectively openable closure member in an open position thereby permitting the dispensing of a tablet;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but taken substantially on the plane designated by the section line 55 of FIGURE 8 more clearly illustrating the catch members which assist in dispensing one tablet at a time.

FIGURE 6 is a slightly enlarged vertical sectional view of the device of FIGURE 1 taken substantially on a vertical plane at right angles to the plane of the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 77 of FIGURE 6-;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 8-8 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an article container and dispenser embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 10 is a slightly enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially along the plane .of the line 1111 of FIG- URE 10.

Referring now to the drawings, and to FIGURES 1 through 8 in particular, one embodiment of the article container and dispenser of the present invention is indicated generally at 20. The embodiment 20 is primarily intended for storage and dispensing of medicinal tablets the like as seen best in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5. The tablet container and dispenser 20 has a generally cylindrical body, or barrel 22 which may be formed of any suitable metallic or plastic material. In the event the body 22 is fabricated of a relatively rigid plastic material, it will be understood that the body 22 may be translucent or transparent as well as opaque.

The top of the tablet container and dispenser 22 is closed with a telescopically mounted cap 24 formed of a suitable metal or plastic and frictionally secured upon the tablet container and dispenser body 22. Although not shown, it will be understood that the cap 24 may be secured to the body 22 by other means such as threads, bayonet prongs, and the like.

A tablet dispensing mechanism is indicated generally at 26 and includes a tablet release means indicated generally at 28 and a tablet metering means indicated generally at 30.

The tablet dispensing mechanism 26 includes a pair of annular flanges 32 and 34 rigidly secured on the outside of the body 22 by means of welding, brazing or the like.

As seen best in FIGURES l, 2 and 6, the flanges 32 and 34 are provided with vertically extending and aligned rectangular apertures 38 and 40, respectively, which slidably receive a release rod 42 having a cross sectional shape complimentary to the shape of the apertures 38 .and 40. Accordingly, the rod 42 is freely and non-rotatably slidable through the apertures 38 and 40. Adjacent its lower end, the release rod 42 is provided with an integral laterally projecting pivot pin 44 secured thereto by any suitable means such as riveting, welding or the like. A closure member 46 is pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 44 and secured thereto by peening the free end of the pivot pin 40 or otherwise providing a generally bulbous portion thereon. As seen best in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the closure member 46 is of slightly greater diameter than the cylindrical body 22, for reasons which will become clear. In addition the closure member 46 .includes a heavier portion 48 on one side of its pivot axis thereby enabling the closure member 46 to pivot toward the open position illustrated in FIGURE 4 by gravity when the rod 42 is depressed.

The release rod 42 is provided with a coiled return spring 50 disposed thereabout between the upper surface of the flange 34 and a transverse biasing pin 52 which is press-fit into a suitable aperture in the release rod 42. Accordingly, it may be seen that as the release rod 42 is urged downwardly the spring 50 will be compressed thereby tending to return the release rod 42 into the position shown in FIGURE 1 when the rod 42 is released.

The tablet metering means 30 includes an annular ring I 3 or flange 54 secured to the outside of the body 22 by a set-screw or the like (not shown). The annular ring 54 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 56, as seen best in FIGURE 5. Within each notch 56 is disposed a catch member 58. Each catch member is pivotally mounted on a split spring steel ring 61 seated in an annular groove 60 in the outer radial periphery of the annular ring 54 thereby permitting the vided with a ring 64 including an apertured mounting boss 66 through which the rod 42 extends, the boss 66 being secured upon the release rod 42 by means of a setscrew 68 or the like. As seen best in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, downward movement of the ring 64 will urge the downwardly and outwardly divergent lower ends of the catch members 58 radially inwardly so as to displace the portions 62 inwardly of the body 22 through corresponding apertures 59 formed in the body 22.

The operation of the tablet container and dispenser embodiment 20 can be best understood by referring to FIGURES 4 and 5 wherein it may be seen that the tablet container and dispenser 20 has been loaded with a column of tablets or the like. To dispense the tablets one at a time it is merely necessary to urge the tablet release rod 42 downwardly to cause the actuating ring 64 and the closure member 46 to be simultaneously lowered as illustrated in FIGURE 4. As the closure member 46 is lowered, the heavier portion 48 thereof will pivot the closure member 46 toward the open position and the ring 64 will move downwardly along the lower cam surfaces 65 of the catch members 58 urging the inwardly projecting portions 62 thereof inwardly into the interior of the body 22 through the apertures 59 and into underlying relation with the tablet TT thereby catching and supporting the latter as the tablet T is dispensed from the body '22. It may therefore be seen that for each single depression of the tablet dispensing mechanism 26 one tablet will be dispensed. Also, as soon as the tablet T has slid off the upper surface of the closure member 46 and the tablet dispensing mechanism 26 is released, the rod 42 and its associated closure member 46 will be returned to the position shown in FIGURE 5 by the spring 50 and the annular ring 64 will move upwardly into the position shown in FIGURE 5 to engage the upwardly divergent upper cam surfaces 71, see FIGURE 5, on the upper ends of the catch members 58 disposed above the ring 61 thereby camming the upper ends of the catch members inwardly and withdrawing the portions 62 from the interior of the body '22 and releasing tablet T1" and the tablets thereabove for movement downwardly under the influence of gravity into supported engagement with the closure member 46.

Referring now to FIGURES 9, and 11 the capsule container and dispenser embodiment is indicated generally at 120. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is a modification of the tablet container and dispenser Accordingly, analogous elements have been indicated by adding a 1 before the reference numeral utilized in illustrating and describing the table container and dispenser indicated generally at 20. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is accordingly provided with a tubular body 122 which is generally oval in cross-sectional configuration as seen best in FIGURES 9 and 11. The body 122 is provided with a telescopically movable and frictionally secured cap 124. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is further provided with a pair of annular flanges 132 and 134 which are secured to the body 122 by welding, brazing or the like. A release 'rod 142 is non-rotatably but slidably received through apertures 138 and 140 in the flanges 132 and 134 in a manner identical to that of the embodiment 20. The tablet release means 128 includes a pivotally secured closure member 146 which is provided with a relatively thick or heavy portion 148 and is pivotally mounted upon a pin 144 for rotation thereabout. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is further provided with an annular ring 154 which is secured to the body 122 by means of a setscrew 155. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is only provided with one catch member 158 and accordingly, the annular ring 154 is only provided with one notch 156 which is in substantially axial alignment with the release rod 142. Since there is only one catch member 158 for the release rod 142 to act upon, the capsule container dispenser 120 is not provided with an annular ring similar to 64. Instead, the release rod 142 is provided with an inwardly projecting integral portion 143 which coacts with the cam surfaces 145 and 147 of the catch member 158 in a manner similar to that of the ring 64 and the cam surfaces 145 and 147 of the tablet container and dispenser 20. The catch member 158 is of course pivotally secured to the annular ring 154 by means of a split spring steel ring 161. The capsule container and dispenser 120 is also provided with a helical spring 150 and a spring biasing pin 152 which function in a manner similar to their counterparts on the tablet container and dispenser embodiment 20.

In operation, as the release rod 142 moves downwardly, the portion 143 urges the downwardly and outwardly inclined lower end of the catch member 158 inwardly and thus the portion 162 is displaced inwardly through the rectangular aperture 159 and into underlying relation with the capsule C preventing the latter from dropping into dispensing position until the release rod 142 has been returned to its rest position by the spring 150. At the same time, the closure member 146, after being displaced downwardly, pivots to the open position permitting the lowermost capsule C to drop out of the container.

It may therefore be seen that there has been provided an article container and dispenser which is simple in construction and efficient for the purpose for which it is intended.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to. the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An article container and dispenser for tablets, capsules and the like comprising a body, said body including an upright generally tubular member adapted to accommodate therein a plurality of said articles in stacked columnar relationship, a bottom closure member movably supported from said container for movement between a first position closing the bottom of said container and a second open position allowing the bottommost article disposed in said container to fall outwardly therefrom, movable catch means carried by said body and operable to releasably engage and support the next to the bottom article in said container, and dispensing means including a single actuator movably supported from said container and operatively connected between said catch means and said bottom closure member for simultaneous catching and supporting the next to the bottom article and moving said closure member from said first position toward said second position and then mov ing said closure member back toward said first po sition and releasing said next to the bottom article, said bottom closure member comprising a member pivotally secured to said actuator, said closure member being unbalanced whereby movement of said actuator toward said second position will cause said unbalanced closure member to tip about its pivotal connection under the influence of gravity in the direction of the unbalance so as to facilitate release of the botto-mmost article.

2. An article container and dispenser for tablets, capsules and the like comprising a body, said body including an upright generally tubular member adapted to accommodate therein a plurality of said articles in stacked columnar relationship, a bottom closure member movably supported from said container for movement :between :a first position closing the bottom of said container and a second open position allowing the bottommost article disposed in said container to fall outwardly therefrom, movable catch means carried by said body and operable to releasably engage and support the next to the bottom article in said container, and dispensing means including a single actuator movably supported from said container and operatively connected between said catch means and said bottom closure member for samultaneous catching and supporting the next to the bottom article and moving said closure member from said first position toward said second position and then moving said closure member back toward said first position and releasing said next to the bottom article, said actuator including a portion mounted for reciprocation longitudinally of said body, said closure member being pivotally supported from said portion for rotation about an axis extending transversely of said body and being generally axially movable of and toward and away from the lower end of said body upon reciprocation of said portion.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said closure member is overbalanced on one side of said axis and includes portions engageable with the lower end portion of said body for camming said closure member into a position extending across the lower end of said body as said closure member is moved toward said lower end.

4. The combination of claim 2 including a tubular cap removably telescopically engageable with the upper end of said body.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said tubular member is generally oval in transverse cross section.

6. An article container and dispenser for tablets, capsules and the like comprising a body, said body including an upright generally tubular member adapted to accommodate therein a plurality of said articles in stacked columnar relationship, a bottom closure member movably supported from said container for movement between a first position closing the bottom of said container and a second open position allowing the bottommost article disposed in said container to fall outwardly therefrom, movable catch means carried by said body and operable to releasably engage and support the next to the bottom article in said container, and dispensing means including a single actuator movably supported from said container and operatively connected between said catch means and said bottom closure member for simultaneous catching and supporting the next to the bottom article and moving said closure member from said first position toward said second position and then moving said closure member back toward said first position and releasing said next to the bottom article, said actuator including a portion mounted for reciprocation longitudinally of said body, said closure member being pivotally supported from said portion for rotation about an axis extending transversely of said body and being generally axially movable of and toward and away from the lower end of said body upon reciprocation of said portion, said catch means including at least one catch finger pivotally supported from said body, said body having an opening formed therein disposed in a horizontal plane passing just beneath said next to the lowermost article, said finger including a portion receivable through said opening to a first position underlying said next to the bottom article, said actuator and finger including camming means operable to urge said portion of said finger toward said first position upon downward movement of said actuator relative to said body and to urge said portion of said finger toward a second position outwardly of said body upon upward movement of said actuator relative to said body.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said body and said catch means include a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings and catch fingers, said camming means on said fingers and actuator including a pair of relatively inclined cam surfaces on said fingers and an actuator ring carried by said portion of said actuator and encircling said body for simultaneous engagement with corresponding cam surfaces of said pairs of cam surfaces.

8. An article container and dispenser for tablets, capsules and the like comprising a body, said body including an upright generally tubular member adapted to accommodate therein a plurality of said articles in stacked columnar relationship, a bottom closure member movably supported from said container for movement between a first position closing the bottom of said container and a second open position allowing the bottomrnost article disposed in said container to fall outwardly therefrom, movable catch means carried by said body and operable to releasably engage and support the next to the bottom article in said container, and dispensing means including a single actuator movably supported from said container and operatively connected between said catch means and said bottom closure member for simultaneous catching and supporting the next to the bottom article :and moving said closure member from said first position toward said second position and then moving said closure member back toward said first position and releasing said next to the bottom article, said actuator including a portion mounted for reciprocation longitudinally of said body, said closure member being pivotally supported from said portion for rotation about an axis extending transversely of said body and being generally axially movable of and toward and away from the lower end of said body upon reciprocation of said portion, and means biasing said actuator to an upper rest position with said closure member abutting and closing the lower end of said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,270,194 6/1918 Nybak 221-298 X 1,396,995 11/ 1921 Cooley 22 l298 X FOREIGN PATENTS 309,043 11/ 1918 Germany. 625,076 2/ 1936 Germany. 462,810 4/ 1 Italy.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE CONTAINER AND DISPENSER FOR TABLETS, CAPSULES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A BODY, SAID BODY INCLUDING AN UPRIGHT GENERALLY TUBULAR MEMBER ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE THEREIN A PLURALITY OF SAID ARTICLES IN STACKED COLUMNAR RELATIONSHIP, A BOTTOM CLOSURE MEMBER MOVABLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID CONTAINER FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER AND A SECOND OPEN POSITION ALLOWING THE BOTTOMMOST ARTICLE DISPOSED IN SAID CONTAINER TO FALL OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, MOVABLE CATCH MEANS CARRIED TO FALL OUTWARDLY AND OPERABLE TO RELEASABLY ENGAGE AND SUPPORT THE NEXT TO THE BOTTOM ARTICLE IN SAID CONTAINER, AND DISPENSING MEANS INCLUDING A SINGLE ACTUATOR MOVABLY SUPPORTED FROM SAID CONTAINER AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID CATCH MEANS AND SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE MEMBER FOR SIMULTANEOUS CATCHING AND SUPPORTING THE NEXT TO THE BOTTOM ARTICLE AND MOVING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TOWARD SAID SECOND POSITION AND THEN MOVING SAID CLOSURE MEMBER BACK TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION AND RELEASING SAID NEXT TO THE BOTTOM ARTICLE, SAID BOTTOM CLOSURE MEMBER COMPRISING A MEMBER PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID ACTUATOR, SAID CLOSURE MEMBER BEING UNBALANCED WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR TOWARD SAID SECOND POSITION WILL CAUSE SAID UNBALANCED CLOSURE MEMBER TO TIP ABOUT ITS PIVOTAL CONNECTION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE UNBALANCE SO AS TO FACILITATE RELEASE OF THE BOTTOMMOST ARTICLE. 